SUBSTITUTE LUUK DE Jong denied Ireland a win at the Aviva Stadium as the Netherlands came away with a 1-1 draw tonight.
Shane Long had put the Boys in Green ahead on 30 minutes but a late header from former Newcastle United forward De Jong meant the penultimate Euro 2016 warm-up finished all-square.
With just four days to go until he has to finalise his tournament squad, Martin O’Neill gave a number of fringe players the chance to play their way into his plans.
Bournemouth’s Harry Arter finally won his second senior cap 12 months on from making his senior debut on the same ground against England, while David McGoldrick of Ipswich and Reading’s Stephen Quinn made up a four-man midfield with the more experienced Glenn Whelan.
That saw Jon Walters line out up front alongside Shane Long.
The Dutch, who will not be involved at this summer’s European championships, went with an experimental team as boss Danny Blind attempts to blood the young talent at his disposal ahead of a difficult 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Clearly eager to impress, Arter put in a strong challenge on Dutch captain Kevin Strootman early on and he would have Ireland’s first shot on goal, which was deflected into the hands of Jasper Cillessen.
Meanwhile, Quinn was working hard to close down opponents and intercept passes right from the off.
It was the visitors, however, who had much of the ball during the first quarter as the Boys in Green played second fiddle.
There were worrying looks from the bench when Long went down under a late tackle from Bruma on 20 minutes. Fortunately, it was only a gash on the knee and the striker returned to the field after receiving treatment from team doctor Alan Byrne.
For all their possession, the Dutch didn’t trouble Darren Randolph in the first half with Shane Duffy and John O’Shea looking assured at central defence, and Ireland opened the scoring from a set-piece on 30 minutes.
O’Shea powered a header on goal after Robbie Brady’s dangerous delivery from a corner and Cillessen made the save but the ball hit the arm of Vincent Janssen and Long was on-hand to prod home from close range.
That goal had a really positive effect on Ireland, who showed a new-found confidence for the remainder of the half.
The same teams returned to the pitch after the break and Ireland could’ve doubled their advantage on 49 minutes with Brady again the creator. Bruma beat Duffy to the Norwich City man’s free-kick but could only send the ball into the path of Walters, who headed straight at Cillessen.
Brady’s whipped ball then caused confusion and very nearly found its way into the back of the net off Bruma.
From the resulting corner, Duffy then rose highest to put the ball over the bar. And moments later, Long should have hit the target with his header.
Ireland made a trio of substitutions with James McClean, Darron Gibson and Jeff Hendrick all introduced on 66 minutes in place of Long, Whelan and Quinn.
The Netherlands upped the tempo in search of an equaliser and Randolph had to save from Janssen at the back post. Ireland’s number one breathed a sigh of relief shortly afterwards after an attempted pass hit the same player and went harmlessly out of play.
Bas Dost and Luuk de Jong were thrown on by Blind in the latter stages and it paid dividends as PSV Eindhoven striker Luuk de Jong drew them level. Willems put over a super cross and, with Randolph stuck in no man’s land, de Jong nodded in.
Eunan O’Kane, not long on the field, had a shot at goal before the final whistle but Ireland take a draw into Tuesday’s final warm-up game with Belarus.
IRELAND: Darren Randolph, Seamus Coleman, John O’Shea (c), Shane Duffy, Glenn Whelan (Darron Gibson 66), Stephen Quinn (Jeff Hendrick 66), Harry Arter (Eunan O’Kane 83), Jon Walters, David McGoldrick (Wes Hoolahan 76), Shane Long (James McClean 66).
NETHERLANDS: Jasper Cillessen, Joel Veltman, Virgil van Dijk, Jeffrey Bruma, Jetro Willems, Riechedly Bazoer, Georginio Wijnaldum (Luuk de Jong 82), Kevin Strootman (c) (Marco van Ginkel 70), Quincy Promes, Vincent Janssen (Bas Dost 75), Memphis Depay (Steven Berghuis 61).
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
Poor auld Ray is missing a hashtag I think!